Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Thank you for this book. It has led me and my wife from wilderness to
Lutheranism. I knew there was an emptiness about Protestantism, but the Roman
Catholic church with its non-biblical accretions was a bridge too far.

GJ - I wrote CLP for Lutherans who marry Roman Catholics, since they seem inexorably drawn together, in order to create mutual understanding without the usual polemics. People demanded that I turn the original adult class for couples into a book. This is now the third, revised edition.

Is this book available in hard copy?

GJ - No. The current edition is available on Amazon, Kindle, and the free PDF. I appreciate the request. Unfortunately, if I publish the same title in hardback on Lulu.com, where they have that option, it confuses the databases no end. Thus - a republished book from Lulu will no longer be listed on Lulu.

Why did you change from NIV to KJV?

I am glad you asked. I was using the NIV software at the time, back in the Dark Ages of computers, DOS, and other horrors. Someone offered me a free KJV program and I switched to the KJV. The KJV is much more precise than the anti-Sacrament NIV. You can read about that in Thy Strong Word, first chapter. TSW is also in the third edition. Some hard-covers are around on the used market. Here is the free PDF.

The New (and the only surviving) NIV is even worse than the old NIV, which is no longer allowed to be used by the publisher. It even disappeared from the publisher's Bible Gateway website. I imagine some people have their old NIVs, if they applied for a Concealed Carry Permit.

If you want a slightly modernized, precise Bible, I suggest the KJV21 or the Third Millennium KJV.

Is there a specific book or books that would help me to study Lutheranism
more deeply? My background is evangelical Protestantism.

In order, I always recommend -

The Sermons of Martin Luther.

The Book of Concord.

I can send anyone my books at a very low cost. Someone has donated money to send them free.

I still use the original Lenker 8 volume set that I purchases long ago.CPH turned that into 4 volumes and added 3 volumes of Postils,as shown above. It took me a few tries to obtain that as a used set for a friend.

Thy Strong Wordhas put a damper on Church Growth and UOJEnthusiasms, but the synods leaders continue in their errors.

Top Customer Reviews

This book compares the Lutheran, Catholic, and Protestant faiths. It start with what the three faiths are in complete agreement with, then moves to a section regarding views that are slightly different, and finally addresses things that are in complete disagreement.Very well-written and does not take sides. The author strictly states the facts and does not try to sway the reader one way or the other - a relatively easy read. I really like this book as a reference when people ask me, "what exactly is the difference between Catholics and Lutherans?"

This book does a great job comparing catholics, lutherans and protestants. It discusses areas where the denominations agree, where they depart slightly in their beliefs and where they disagree completely.

This book was recommended to me by a Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) Pastor for catechism courses for those new to the Christian faith to prepare them to be on guard of the teachings of men that go against God's Word in the visible church.

Almost all my time is spent in teaching theology, which is both fulfilling and enjoyable.

The Grateful Dead, no longer producing - for which I am grateful - taught me one thing. Instead of jealously guarding their so-called music, they gave it away to any and all, assuming the fans would still buy their work. Publishing against apostasy is not the road to riches, but the lure of financial rewards diminishes with age.

My classmates have said in their Facebook posts, "I don't need one more thing in my house. Do me a favor and take something with you each time." So I do that with books. Most of my library has been given away, including my most favorite titles, so others can enjoy them. In the same spirit, some of the best Lutheran books were given to me to distribute, and they energized the reading of a number of laity who really appreciated them.

As planned, Thy Strong Word serves as a library of Lutheran doctrine for many laity. The errors of Church Growth and Universal Objective Justification are laid out - with a vast collection of sound and foul doctrinal quotations. At the time I thought, "Why not share my explorations of Lutheran theology with a thousand or so of the most informative quotations, listed with the citations, for easy kelming and sharing?" That is exactly what people have enjoyed and used.

I use Kindle Unlimited, which means anyone with a $10 a month subscription can download all the Martin Chemnitz Press titles for free.

Lutheran laity have been the mainstay of everything. Brett Meyer and his extended family got the Ustream services going, long ago, and we are still far ahead of most congregations. ELDONA asked me about how to set up services in 2016, and I was glad to point out what worked best for us.

The best insights and questions come from Lutheran laity. I hear positive things from laity all the time, and I answer almost immediately. Many insights and questions are worked into book and blog publishing.

The jabbering, hostile hordes of UOJ Stormtroopers are silent now. They do not even use my public email address to send their pointless insults, which make such good fodder for posts. I miss the fetid, alcohol-driven ravings of the Fox Valley WELS circuit - really.

I seldom hear from clergy at all. One is in Australia, our dear friend Dr. Lito Cruz. A couple of men are Lutheran pastors in the USA. On Facebook I have about 500 LCMS friends, which suggests they enjoy reading my posts. Opponents have unfriended me (sob) and I have eliminated synod-minders, who think it is their job to toss stink-bombs.

Irony - the former LCMS Synod President is still my Facebook friend, but the great reformer, the current SP, Matt the Fat, unfriended me faster than a New York minute. The bloggers who helped him defeat Kieschnick and get re-elected are now forbidden to write about Lutheran doctrine - lest the LCMS kick them out.